Published: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 7:58 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 7:58 p.m.

A Louisiana chef is teaming up with wildlife officials to target a big fish that could cause even bigger problems in the state’s productive fishing grounds.

The Asian carp has been moving steadily into the state’s waters in recent years. The fish has been a high-profile pest in northern states, where millions of dollars have been spent on controlling its populations. And advocates say Louisiana needs to get control of its Asian carp population before it’s too late.

“The fish are here in Louisiana waters, and they’re here to stay,” said Chef Philippe Parola, who has become an advocate and expert on the marketing and consumption of Asian carp.

The fish could be causing major problems for Louisiana’s coastal fisheries in eight to 10 years if nothing is done, he said.

Asian carp, including species such as bighead and silver carp, were introduced in the Midwest in the 1970s to clean murky fish farm ponds. The fish are filter feeders, munching microscopic plant and animal plankton from the water. Flooding along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers caused ponds to overflow, allowing Asian carp to escape into other rivers and reproduce in the wild.

These fish eat voraciously and reproduce rapidly. One fish reproduces three to four times a year, releasing between 100,000 to 3 million eggs each spawning, Parola said. They have no major predators and can eat more than 20 percent of their body weight in algae and plankton a day. Asian carp can weigh up to 100 pounds. With their large size and hunger for plankton, they could pose a threat to native species.

If Asian carp can survive and thrive in Louisiana’s brackish waters, the fear is the fish could decimate the productive coastal estuaries that Louisiana’s fishing industry depends on.

Shrimp, oyster, blue crab and other finfish all rely on those plankton-rich waters at some point in their life cycle. But if Asian carp establish a population, they could damage the already fragile ecosystem.

Plankton provide food for many larval species in Louisiana’s estuaries, and carp could steal away that food source “in massive quantities,” said Michael Massimi, invasive species coordinator for the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. They would also consume larval species themselves.

At risk in Louisiana is a commercial and recreational fishery worth $3.5 billion per year. That industry supports about 40,000 jobs, and Louisiana’s coastal zone provides an estimated 21 percent of all fisheries landings by weight in the lower 48 states, according to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

The fish can also cause problems for boaters because of the silver carp’s unusual and dangerous survival behavior. When startled by the sound of a boat motor, it attempts to flee danger by jumping skyward, frequently hitting boats and people.

The fish have been known to cause boating accidents, black eyes, bruises and more severe injuries.

“I’ve seen these fish jumping 10-15 feet in the air, and they weigh 30 pounds,” Parola said.

Between 1991 and 2000, the Asian carp population dramatically increased in the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Today, commercial fishers on the Illinois River often catch 25,000 pounds of bighead and silver carp per day, according to the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee.

Fisheries biologists and resources managers in the Great Lakes area are combatting the problem head on because of the widespread agreement these species could devastate their multi-billion dollar fishing industry. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers even built a multimillion dollar electric barrier aimed at preventing the fish from entering the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River and its tributaries, Massimi said.

Silver carp have been found locally in Lake Field and Lake Verret. But the massive 2011 river flood and the opening of the Bonnet Carre and Morganza spillways likely launched the carp into new, previously inaccessible waters in the state, including brackish coastal waterways.

“The flood probably launched these fish into a lot of areas we don’t even know about yet,” Massimi said.

Evidence of bighead and silver carp living in the salty, brackish waters of coastal Louisiana is worrisome because the fish family they belong to is typically restricted to fresh water, U.S. Geological Survey biologist Duane Chapman said.

“Asian carp appear to be the exception, which was a complete shock to us,” Chapman said. “We don’t have any real data yet on the effects of the fish on brackish water populations of other species. We don’t know what will happen, but we are very concerned.”

Chapman said even if Asian carp can’t reproduce in brackish waters, the fish can find their way from those marshes into more freshwater lakes and rivers by way of storm surges and inlets along the coast.

There’s limited information on Asian carp in Louisiana because their populations are difficult to measure, said Mike Wood, director of inland fisheries at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has conducted samplings in coastal areas and larval samplings in freshwater areas will start this year. The hope is to get more accurate information on the state fish population.

“Asian carp is an invasive species, and we know it is expanding its range in some areas,” Wood said. “We are not certain of the impact they’ll have. But we are concerned. With the larval sampling, we hope to determine the extent that they’ve established in Louisiana.”

Controlling the fish’s population will be a challenge in Louisiana, Massimi said. Because the fish are filter feeders, they can’t be caught on a line.

“The only way human fishing could have pressure on them is on a commercial scale,” Massimi said.

That’s where Parola comes in. The chef, who is passionate about protecting Louisiana’s fishing, has been working for years on the idea of developing a commercial market for the fish.

Parola is working to overcome the image problem that the fish face. The fish have a complex bone structure and can be difficult to clean. They are also often confused with common carp, a bottom-feeding species with a strong, fishy flavor. But the flesh of the Asian carp is actually light, mild and flaky, like a delicate crabmeat.

The state must first grasp the severity of the problem it’s facing before a commercial market can be built around the fish, Parola said.

“Before the problem is acknowledged, there’s not much that can be done,” Parola said. “But I’ve seen how destructive these fish are, and I want to make a difference. The gamble is too big to not be proactive.”

If you want to learn more about Asian carp, visit Parola’s website: www.chefphilippe.com.

<p>A Louisiana chef is teaming up with wildlife officials to target a big fish that could cause even bigger problems in the state's productive fishing grounds.</p><p>The Asian carp has been moving steadily into the state's waters in recent years. The fish has been a high-profile pest in northern states, where millions of dollars have been spent on controlling its populations. And advocates say Louisiana needs to get control of its Asian carp population before it's too late.</p><p>“The fish are here in Louisiana waters, and they're here to stay,” said Chef Philippe Parola, who has become an advocate and expert on the marketing and consumption of Asian carp. </p><p>The fish could be causing major problems for Louisiana's coastal fisheries in eight to 10 years if nothing is done, he said.</p><p>Asian carp, including species such as bighead and silver carp, were introduced in the Midwest in the 1970s to clean murky fish farm ponds. The fish are filter feeders, munching microscopic plant and animal plankton from the water. Flooding along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers caused ponds to overflow, allowing Asian carp to escape into other rivers and reproduce in the wild.</p><p>These fish eat voraciously and reproduce rapidly. One fish reproduces three to four times a year, releasing between 100,000 to 3 million eggs each spawning, Parola said. They have no major predators and can eat more than 20 percent of their body weight in algae and plankton a day. Asian carp can weigh up to 100 pounds. With their large size and hunger for plankton, they could pose a threat to native species.</p><p>If Asian carp can survive and thrive in Louisiana's brackish waters, the fear is the fish could decimate the productive coastal estuaries that Louisiana's fishing industry depends on.</p><p>Shrimp, oyster, blue crab and other finfish all rely on those plankton-rich waters at some point in their life cycle. But if Asian carp establish a population, they could damage the already fragile ecosystem.</p><p>Plankton provide food for many larval species in Louisiana's estuaries, and carp could steal away that food source “in massive quantities,” said Michael Massimi, invasive species coordinator for the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. They would also consume larval species themselves.</p><p>At risk in Louisiana is a commercial and recreational fishery worth $3.5 billion per year. That industry supports about 40,000 jobs, and Louisiana's coastal zone provides an estimated 21 percent of all fisheries landings by weight in the lower 48 states, according to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.</p><p>The fish can also cause problems for boaters because of the silver carp's unusual and dangerous survival behavior. When startled by the sound of a boat motor, it attempts to flee danger by jumping skyward, frequently hitting boats and people.</p><p>The fish have been known to cause boating accidents, black eyes, bruises and more severe injuries.</p><p>“I've seen these fish jumping 10-15 feet in the air, and they weigh 30 pounds,” Parola said.</p><p>Between 1991 and 2000, the Asian carp population dramatically increased in the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Today, commercial fishers on the Illinois River often catch 25,000 pounds of bighead and silver carp per day, according to the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee.</p><p>Fisheries biologists and resources managers in the Great Lakes area are combatting the problem head on because of the widespread agreement these species could devastate their multi-billion dollar fishing industry. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers even built a multimillion dollar electric barrier aimed at preventing the fish from entering the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River and its tributaries, Massimi said.</p><p>Silver carp have been found locally in Lake Field and Lake Verret. But the massive 2011 river flood and the opening of the Bonnet Carre and Morganza spillways likely launched the carp into new, previously inaccessible waters in the state, including brackish coastal waterways.</p><p>“The flood probably launched these fish into a lot of areas we don't even know about yet,” Massimi said. </p><p>Evidence of bighead and silver carp living in the salty, brackish waters of coastal Louisiana is worrisome because the fish family they belong to is typically restricted to fresh water, U.S. Geological Survey biologist Duane Chapman said. </p><p>“Asian carp appear to be the exception, which was a complete shock to us,” Chapman said. “We don't have any real data yet on the effects of the fish on brackish water populations of other species. We don't know what will happen, but we are very concerned.”</p><p>Chapman said even if Asian carp can't reproduce in brackish waters, the fish can find their way from those marshes into more freshwater lakes and rivers by way of storm surges and inlets along the coast.</p><p>There's limited information on Asian carp in Louisiana because their populations are difficult to measure, said Mike Wood, director of inland fisheries at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.</p><p>The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has conducted samplings in coastal areas and larval samplings in freshwater areas will start this year. The hope is to get more accurate information on the state fish population.</p><p>“Asian carp is an invasive species, and we know it is expanding its range in some areas,” Wood said. “We are not certain of the impact they'll have. But we are concerned. With the larval sampling, we hope to determine the extent that they've established in Louisiana.”</p><p>Controlling the fish's population will be a challenge in Louisiana, Massimi said. Because the fish are filter feeders, they can't be caught on a line.</p><p>“The only way human fishing could have pressure on them is on a commercial scale,” Massimi said.</p><p>That's where Parola comes in. The chef, who is passionate about protecting Louisiana's fishing, has been working for years on the idea of developing a commercial market for the fish.</p><p>Parola is working to overcome the image problem that the fish face. The fish have a complex bone structure and can be difficult to clean. They are also often confused with common carp, a bottom-feeding species with a strong, fishy flavor. But the flesh of the Asian carp is actually light, mild and flaky, like a delicate crabmeat.</p><p>The state must first grasp the severity of the problem it's facing before a commercial market can be built around the fish, Parola said.</p><p>“Before the problem is acknowledged, there's not much that can be done,” Parola said. “But I've seen how destructive these fish are, and I want to make a difference. The gamble is too big to not be proactive.”</p><p>If you want to learn more about Asian carp, visit Parola's website: www.chefphilippe.com.</p>